The Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs have provided some exciting matchups in the past as the two Western Conference teams have faced each other numerous times in the postseason. The Clippers are coming off a seven-game road trip where the team went 4-3 as Chris Paul put up solid numbers. However, their record against the Spurs is not great ,something the team aims to change throughout the season.
The Clippers have lost 34 of 39 games against the Spurs. Eight of those have come since Chris Paul arrived. They were swept by the team in the 2012 playoffs as everyone on the roster appeared to struggle against the veterans of San Antonio. Paul averaged just 12.8 points on 36.8 percent shooting. His stats against the Spurs are very unimpressive his assist-to-turnover ratio is 2.48.
To make matters worse, the Spurs are in the midst of a four-game win streak. Tim Duncan is averaging 17.6 points per game on 56.9 percent shooting in the month of December. His health has improved as much as his shot has, boosting the lineup. However, Duncan has struggled when going up against Blake Griffin. The Clippers star averages 16.0 points against Duncan over the past six matchups.
This game could end up being a shootout as both teams have high functioning offenses. The Clippers are averaging 103.7 points per game. The Spurs are putting up 103.3 points per game. However, Los Angeles has at least four players averaging 14.0 points a game, while Tony Parker is the only one averaging that many points per game.
The Clippers aim to end their struggles against the San Antonio Spurs as a return home could bring some energy to the team after a long road trip. This will have plenty of playoff implications down the road.
